Powerball official: 3 winners for $448 million jackpot

The winning Powerball numbers were drawn shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday, with the jackpot estimated at $448 million.Len Melisurgo/The Star-Ledger

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Powerball luck has struck three times -- once in Minnesota and twice in New Jersey -- for the multistate lottery's latest massive jackpot.

Sue Dooley, senior drawing manager production coordinator for the Multi-State Lottery Association, said late Wednesday night that three tickets matched all six numbers and would split the $448 million Powerball jackpot.

"We had three grand prize winners," Dooley said. "One was in Minnesota and two were in New Jersey."

She said it wasn't yet clear where the tickets had been sold or who the winners where. She said that information would come from the individual states' lottery officials.

At the time of the telecast, Powerball officials announced that the jackpot previously pegged at $425 million had grown to an estimated $448 million.

The allure of capturing such a rich jackpot has had players in a ticket-buying frenzy, further confirming Powerball players often don't get into the game until the jackpot offers big bucks.

A recent game change increased the frequency of huge jackpots, and Wednesday's third largest-ever jackpot comes only months after the biggest Powerball jackpot in history -- a $590 million pot won in Florida.